


A Boy Who Would Be King

by misura



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Kid Loki and Kid Thor (Marvel), Odin (Marvel)'s Parenting, POV Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 16:19:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15416829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Childhood ambitions.





	A Boy Who Would Be King

"A Valkyrie, eh?" Odin chuckled.

For a moment, Thor looked confused or rather, Loki thought, _clueless_ , because Thor was a clueless kind of person, which surely must make him unsuitable to rule. Then he reacquired his usual expression of idiotic cheer and nodded.

"Yes, Father. For they are brave and fierce and beautiful."

_And long gone,_ though all of Loki's efforts had been unable to discover why that was, precisely.

They seemed the stuff of stories, myths, nearly. If not for the mural in the north wing, he might have believed them not to have existed at all, and yet there they were, kneeling in obedience and reverence as Odin made peace with one people or another.

"A commendable goal," Odin said. "Though always remember that they also defended the weak against the strong. To be a warrior of Asgard means first of all to be a defender of all that is just and right."

"Yes, Father."

Odin smiled, fond and proud, before he turned to Loki. "And you? What will you become, once you are all grown up?"

_King,_ but that was not a safe answer any more than _your sole heir,_ was. Truly, he did not wish Thor ill. It was only that Thor seemed so obviously unsuitable for the throne that he wondered why none other would see it, or speak of it.

To allow Thor to believe himself a future king seemed cruelty. Why not tell him that the highest position he might strive for would be to command Asgard's armies? And was that not a grand and fine thing to strive towards, for one such as Thor, who spent far more time at weapons practice than at study, in the library, or sitting at their mother's knees, learning the ancient magic of her people?

"I want to become wise and powerful, like - like Mother." _If she does not love me better than Thor, at least she does not love me less. At least she's not a hypocrite._

"Good, good. Stick to your studies and I've no doubt that you will obtain your wish." Odin nodded.

Loki might almost believe he'd only imagined the faint wince, that glimpse of hurt as he'd paused. _Did you think I would want to be like you, Father? Did you think I loved you best?_

Thor wrinkled his nose. "Books."

Predictably, that won him another smile, another chuckle. "You must study well also, my son. A king needs wisdom, as well as courage. He must ever be ready for war, but never eager for it."

"Sounds like the two of us together would make the perfect king," Loki said.

"Why, I suppose it does," said Odin, putting a hand on his head, warm and big and strong. Then, of course, he pulled Thor closer with his other arm. "The two of you - you must look out for one another, as brothers should. Always remember that you are family."

"Yes, Father," Thor said, obedient as ever, smiling at Loki.

Loki smiled back. It was an easy thing, to smile as if he meant it. "Yes, Father."


End file.
